


Winter's Canary

by DrummerGirl203



Series: Jeni Jacobi [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, Anxiety Attacks, Autism, Autism Spectrum, Brief Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Canon Related, Dream Sex, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Memory Related, Nightmares, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Psychic Abilities, Psychic Bond, Psychic Violence, Rescue, Rescue Missions, Romance, Smut, Wet Dream
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-23
Updated: 2017-11-27
Packaged: 2018-06-03 20:51:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 14,775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6625807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DrummerGirl203/pseuds/DrummerGirl203
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Bucky was not alone after the events of the Winter Soldier. What if he found someone who loved him so unconditionally that he was really truly happy? Then he forgot that person, without the help of HYDRA's mind control? And what if she was working for Tony during Civil War as a bartender?<br/>Her name is Jeni Jacobi and she is in trouble.<br/>Can Bucky save her?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. I shaved a star and some stripes into the side of my head

As Bucky walked the streets, trying to get as far away from Captain America and Washington DC as possible, he spotted something that peaked his curiosity. A girl, with purple hair and blue eyes carrying a large box. His instinct told him to help her, even as a design of a star and some stripes came into his view. Especially when he noticed the weight was about to pull her backwards into a bicycler.

“Thanks for the save.” She glanced up at him and their eyes met. A look of shocked surprise came over her features. “No way, you're-" Her excitement was stopped by a strange sound coming from Bucky's stomach. "Hungry, aren't you?"

He nodded, his ability to speak seem to be forgotten. 

"Well, I guess buying you some lunch would be the least I can do for saving me." She grinned, an expression Bucky hadn't seen in his memory. "I'm Jeni, it's nice to meet you."

He only stared at her as she locked her car, trying to place her in the scraps of memory he had recovered. Jeni looked familiar to him, in almost the same way Steve had. "How long have you had purple hair?"

She looked up at his voice, a bit puzzled at why this stranger would ask her a question usually posed by an old friend, but she shrugged it off. "Not long. The box said smoky blue, but it turned purple instead."

"Sorry, um, my memory is a bit spotty. You just look familiar."

While the statement confused her more, she shrugged it off like the last one and smiled up at him. ”Well, on that note, what ya hungry for?"

"I think I'm good for anything, as long as it's filling." 

"Then let's go find a food truck." Bucky didn't think it possible, but her smile widened more as they walked.

As they got closer to a lot where a few food trucks were parked, the crowd grew and grew. Bucky tried to keep his gaze on her purple hair, on that star and the four little stripes. Then he looked down and saw that she had grabbed his hand. His left hand. She wasn’t phased at all by his metal fingers.

They waited in line, for what obviously seemed like too long for Jeni, but Bucky spent whatever time he could staring at her while she wasn’t looking.

“These are good but not like the ones I’ve had in New York.” The thought snapped him out of his trance.

“Excuse me?”

“Oh, there’s a little place near my apartment that sells these.” She handed him one of the items from her bag. When he just stared at it, she laughed. “You’ve probably never had a tamale before. Here.” 

* * *

 

That’s when Bucky woke up.

“You okay?” Steve looked at him wearily. Sometimes these were when Cap found himself guarding against a tantrum.

“I have to go find her.”

“Who?”

“My girlfriend.”


	2. You are the Moon to my Star

The next few memories Bucky recalled came a couple days later.

The first one had taken place over three months since they had first met, since Bucky had entered Jeni’s life. For the first time in what he had felt must have been a long time, Bucky had felt at home. He remembered enjoying watching her work, although he didn’t admit it at the time. He had tagged along by telling her he wanted to protect her since the bar she worked at was walking distance from Hell’s Kitchen. Her boss Luke had given him a job busing tables and by that time Bucky had already helped him throw a couple drunks out and break up a few fights.

That night, near closing time, Jeni had spotted a woman still sitting at the end of the counter as she was drying glasses with her boss.

_“Luke, you should go talk to her. She’s dark, moody and a good drinker, just your type.”_

_“Don’t you mean your type, sweetie? Thanks but no thanks.” He noticed her gaze shifted to Bucky, who was wearing one of the bar’s black t-shirts with the logo on it. Bucky had already known this was happening, as he knew what it did to his girlfriend. “Okay, you two need to go home. I don’t want to have to pick up your jaw, Jen.”_

_“Only if you promise to at least talk to her. I’m not saying seal the deal, but strike up a conversation. You’ll be surprised where it can lead you.”_

Bucky could clearly remember Luke rolling his eyes at this idea as Jeni had walked up to him. _“You ready to go home?”_

_“Yep, what about you?”_

_He smiled back at her. “Just let me put this rag in the laundry.”_

_A few moments later, they were outside, Jeni’s hand safely encased by his. As they walked, her head gravitated towards his shoulder, using her other arm to hold herself closer to him. “So, what do you want to do tonight. Tomorrow is our day off.”_

The next dream was of her, cooking pancakes. They were in their shared apartment. He could see her from their bed, hear her singing O Danny Boy as he woke up. He remembered pancakes were one of the only things she could cook, her specialty being more behind a bar than in the kitchen. He remembered peppering her with kisses, his arms wrapped around her waist. He remembered her laugh. Oh, it was as beautiful as how she sang. He remembered him teasing her about her makeup, how she was as careful as a girl from the forties. He didn’t feel like the Winter Soldier around her, to her he was James, her James. 

Then he remembered meeting her dad, Nathan Jacobi, a former SHIELD agent. How they all watched old newsreels and Jeni would point out how serious he looked in them. How he got to remember more about Steve through them.

After Bucky told all this to Steve, his best friend seem to remember something. About a girl who had bartended for Tony named Jeni Jacobi. 

“You must have been the boyfriend she would talk about. She must have gotten the job later.”

“If I remember correctly, Luke actually blew up the bar on a night we were off.” Bucky jumped to a realization. “But Hydra couldn’t have wiped my memory clean of her since we dated after SHIELD fell.”

“You were talking about Nathan Jacobi right?” Clint came up behind them. “Nat was talking about him once. Said he was the only guy who thought you, I mean the winter soldier was actually brainwashed into working for HYDRA.”

“Why was that?”

“Apparently his daughter was on a low level protective detail with him at a theme park. He was only taking her on it because it was her fifth birthday.”

“I read about that.” Steve tried to remember. “Apparently the guy he was protecting got killed right? And a panic ensued?”

“You mean, I killed the guy he was protecting.” Bucky muttered.

“I guess so.” Steve comforted his friend. “But it wasn’t you. HYDRA was controlling you.”

“Anyway,” Clint continued. “He had lost his daughter in the chaos. Fearing the worst, he heads to his room to call her mom, but his daughter is sitting on the floor in his hotel room. Witnesses say they saw a man with dark hair and a leather jacket bring her to the front desk. She told her dad that man had a metal arm with a red star on it. And he saved her from getting run over by a truck.”

“I saved Jeni’s life when she was five?” Suddenly that odd familiarity made sense. But why would the winter soldier save anybody? It made no sense.

* * *

“Lady Jacobi, are you okay?” Jeni could tell without looking up who it was by the accent.

“No, T’Challa, I’m not. And I’ve told you before, you can call me Jeni. No need to call me Lady Jacobi.” She couldn’t help but giggle at the idea of her being a lady anything.

“Okay, Jeni.” He tried. She liked how her name sounded when it came out his mouth. The Wakandan dialect calmed her nerves. “Do you have any of that Irish pie that you cooked for dinner? It was delicious.”

“You mean the shepherd’s pie? I got a bit left. I’ll heat it up for you.” Jeni felt happy that at least someone appreciated her grandpa's recipe. Someone besides him. 

That's when something shocked her enough that the plate she was holding slipped from her fingers. Her hands when to her head as it throbbed. It was like a nuclear bomb had gone off in her head. A sort of super migraine. And with the pressure building in her head, it was too much. She collapsed. 

"Computer, get Tony. Tell him its Jeni. She's hurt." The Wakandan king's voice was the last thing she heard before the world blurred and went black. 

* * *

"James." Bucky could hear behind him. It was Jeni, he'd recognize that sultry tone anywhere. But when he turned around, he saw nothing. 

"You okay, Buck." Steve placed his hand on his best friend's shoulder. 

"I guess I just miss her." He defended. "Thought I heard her voice."

"Didn't she tell us once her granddad was a Howling Commando?" Sam tried to catch up with the two super soldiers.

"Yeah, Dum Dum Dugan I believe." Steve laughed. "I think his nose looks better on her than it did on him."

"Yeah." Bucky couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Like he was needed somewhere else. 

* * *

When Jeni woke back up, she knew she was in the hospital. And she knew who was sleeping in the chair beside her bed. "Sharon?"

"Hey squirt. You were out for a bit."

"Yeah, it felt like my senses got overloaded."

"Are you telling me that your autism did this to you?" Sharon looked unconvinced. Sure she would, only James seemed to understand Jeni's autism like Jeni did herself. 

"No, not my autism. It was like I could hear every single person's inner monologue in the whole US. Like I was searching for just one." Then Jeni remembered what she'd seen in her dream. "And I think I found it, even if it was just long enough to say his name. And he heard me."

"Are you saying, you astral projected? Like all that crazy magic stuff from those cheesy movies you wanted me to watch when I babysat you?"

"Yeah. I guessed I missed him enough my brain did it for me."

"Him as in James?" Sharon teased her.

"Can we just call it like it is?" Jeni sighed. "I am in desperate love with  one of the most wanted men in the world. And I want him just as much as the government does. If not more."

"I know how you feel." Sharon agreed. "Seems Carter women want to get into Captain America's star spangled boxers no matter if it's 1946 or 2016."

"And Dugan girls love their howling commandos." Jeni giggled. "No matter if they're from Dublin or Brooklyn."

"You know, I'm pretty sure T'Challa is stripping you to your birthday suit in his mind every night."

"Are you telling me to jump from one dangerous man to another? Next you'll be telling me to sleep with Daredevil."

"I don't know. I've seen pictures. There's an adorable butt under that red body armor." 

"What is it with you and bright colored body armor?"

"Probably the same thing that attracts you to black leather." 

Jeni smirked at her childhood friend. "It's not the black leather that's the thrill. Its the abs underneath."

"Sweet Christmas." Sharon fake fanned herself. 

"Now you sound like my old boss." They both laughed at the statement. Natasha could hear it from the vending machine down the hall. It almost made her grin.


	3. The Melody of Passion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter some awesome smutty goodness.

 

It was another sleepless night for Bucky. He hated the fact he had forgotten Jeni. From what he had remembered, she was a light in his life when everything else was dark. It was on that night, with the old lights blinking above him and the team that he'd finally gone through his backpack. And he'd found a small photo book. 

_"What's that?"_

_"It's a camera. Didn't they have these in your day, soldier boy?"_ He remembered her small camera, the strap had held a small silver Captain America shield. She had actually used red paint to color in the star, even though it chipped off quickly.

_"Sure, but they weren't that small."_

_"Well, this is a special kind. It prints out the photos as soon as you take them. See."_ To his distress, she had taken a picture of him right then and there. Spots had blinked in his vision for a few moments.

_"Just for that, I'm going to confiscate this until it's out of film."_

Her response, of course, had been to stick out her tongue as he had kept the camera out of reach. _”Oh really? What kind of pictures are you going to take?"_

_"I'm going to preserve all your insane expressions for all time."_ He could almost taste her lips during that kiss. Still sweet from the chocolate bar she had greedily devoured.

_“If you wanted to take naughty pictures you just had to ask, Bucky Bear.”_ He had seen it in her eyes, that sultry smile.

* * *

At that very moment, Jeni was also thinking of him, unable to sleep in her bedroom at her small house. Tony had offered her a new apartment at headquarters, but she just couldn’t leave the place she had shared with her boyfriend and before that her parents. They had been so happy about moving in to this place, the place she had spent her childhood in. Her dad had decided to move back to DC, but didn’t want to give up the former SHIELD safe house. And James had been happy to oblige, especially when it came with a facelift.

 She had found it almost impossible to sleep in the big house without the comfort of his left arm around her waist, the steadiness of his breath lulling her into dreamland as if he were the sandman. Usually, she could get herself to sleep by searching for his mind, he was usually up with the rest of Cap’s team these days. But after what had happened the other day, she was a bit cautious about trying it again. She really wished he was back with her.

* * *

 

He remembered right then that her, _their_ , house was nearby, a couple miles away. It almost felt like she was calling to him, a siren in the night. She needed him.

“Bucky, where you going?” Steve stared up at him, half asleep.

“I _need_ to see Jeni. At least if she’s okay.” He stopped his old friend from talking. “I know she’s close, like its an instinct.”

“Fine, but be careful. I’m not losing you again.”

With a nod, Bucky strapped on his bag. He started the trek to the house, even though he didn't have his keys.

* * *

Jeni awoke from her place on the couch to a knock on the door. She knew who it was from the knock. It was him. It was her James, a mischievous smile across his face as he looked at her through the back door window.

She grabbed her keys and happily fumbled to unlock the door. When that single barrier was gone, he laughed. “Thank God Jeni, I thought I’d have to break the window.”

“Don’t you dare even think that, Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes. Windows are expensive.” She pouted, before realizing what he had just said. “You remember me?”

“Only started remembering a few days ago. I’m sorry Doll.”

“I wanna be mad at you but I can’t.”

“I’m glad. I had to see you.” He pressed his lips against hers, holding her steady with his left arm, the mechanics purring along with her.

“God, you are freezing. Get inside and I’ll make you some tea to warm that cute ass of yours.”

"I've missed your crazy tea. Especially when Steve snores in the middle of the night."  
"Maybe I should put a tin and a tea infuser in your backpack for you." She laughed as she heated up the water in the microwave. "You could share some with him."  
"You know, you could warm me up. We could sleep in that bed of ours."  
"Or we could not go to sleep at all, Tin man."  
"I like your style babydoll." With that, he captured her lips, the force of his grip slightly cracking the marble kitchen counter. With an almost singular motion, Jeni was lifted into his strong grasp, her slender legs locked around his waist. He was pleased to feel she was only wearing one of his old shirts, like she had since he'd given her one to sleep in. It gave him easy access to her folds as he held her close, a truth Jeni was glad to acknowledge.   
So, as her body thumped onto their bed, the only barriers were his clothes, something he was quick to remedy. Animalistic and passionate, he grinned as he easily slid in. "Someone's been busy."  
"My vibrator has nothing on my sexy cyborg."  
"That's good to hear." He was glad to hear her snarky remarks cut off from pure bliss. Her grip on his shoulders allowed him to hear every gasp of pleasure as he thrust his cock into her, every pound accented by her earthy squeaks. And it was pushing them both over the edge.  
"Fu-fuck James! I'm close."  
"Me too doll."

* * *

 

That's when they both woke up. Bucky next to Steve in their sleeping bags, Jeni with her blankets tangled around her legs, Bucky's work shirt stuck to her skin due to sweat as she lay in their bed. They weren't close to each other at all. Jeni swallowed her pride and picked up her phone. She selected a number she had only recently put in, a picture of Ananzi the spider as its icon.  
"Hi Natasha. I didn't wake you did I?"  
"No sweetie, I just got back from a mission."  
"Good, can you come over to my house? Maybe for some tea."  
"That's unexpected."  
"I don't want to be alone. It's about my old boyfriend." Jeni held her head up. "I just need someone to talk to."  
"I'll come right over."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I should feel guilty, like this is the only reason Jeni is a telepath. But I'm not. Its oddly satisfying.


	4. A Favorite Book

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning, I put a few CA:CW spoiler stuff in here, so I suggest putting reading this chapter off until you see the movie.

"How exactly is this sup-" Jeni tried to quip before Natasha landed a hit to her stomach. "Ow."

"Didn't your boyfriend ever give you any training?" The Russian born spy confronted her. 

"If he had offered, I wouldn't have accepted it." Jeni stared down at her wrapped hands. "I just, I didn't want him feeling responsible if he accidentally hurt me."

Natasha could see the tears forming in her eyes. “You were the one. The anonymous tipster who sent in the tip about him being in Bucharest.”

“I didn’t think he’d do what they said he did. While we were on the run…” She sunk to her knees, trying to take up as little space as possible. “The last time I saw him, he left me at a hostel in Scotland. After I got back to the states, he would send letters to the house.”

"That's very thoughtful of him.” Natasha smiled. "Maybe a good training session isn't what you need."

"Yeah." Jeni picked at the bandages before she unwrapped her hands. "I'm hungry. You up for some breakfast?”

"I am in the mood for a good smoothie.”

“I thought I was the mindreader.”

* * *

"Friday, I need some coffee." Tony moaned as he woke up in his bed. Alone. For the hundredth time this year. God, he missed Pepper.

"Your goddaughter is making some tea in the kitchen. Maybe you should go talk to her."

"Will I get coffee?"

"Confirmative."

"Fine."

* * *

"Jeni." She looked up from her cup to the man saying her name. "That's a cute tea strainer."

"James got it for me when we went to Barcelona."

Tony surveyed her attire, which consisted of a Captain America tank top and a pair of workout pants. "You went running?"

"Natasha thought it would help me think after we had smoothies." She tried to look away from him. "Hey Tony, do the Sokovian Accords apply to me?"

"Not unless you want to take Rhodey's place in the War Machine armor."

"You know what I mean."

"Jeni-Benny." Her mother's childhood nickname for her prompted a glimpse of a smile to pass her lips. "Nathan and I didn't agree on a lot of things, but one thing we did agree on is that you deserve a normal life."

"A normal life? That's sounds so boring." She giggled. 

"I wish Pepper shared your sentiment."

* * *

At that moment, Bucky was staring a well worn book, the paperback cover wearing at the edges. In the margins were notes in wispy handwriting, the same as the cheeky note at the beginning. He'd always kept it in his getaway backpack, a real reminder of its past owner, just like the photos. He even remembered when she'd given it to him. Since it was after that first time in the house. 

_"Why you reading that?"_

_"It's a good book. You might not like it though."_ He remembered her scrunched up face, teasing him. _"It's a romance."_

_"Are you saying I'm not romantic? I'll let you know I was quite the ladies man in my day."_

_"Oh really? Then why not prove it."_

_"Are you trying to seduce me, Miss Jacobi?"_

_"Depends, Sergeant Barnes."_ He remembered placing the book on their bedside table, leaning in to kiss her. And as always, it had escalated quickly, ending up in her snuggled to his chest. And she had laced her fingers with his metal ones. Metal fingers that were no longer attached to him, since his arm was gone.

* * *

Steve looked up from his chair in front of Bucky's chamber. His friend seemed so serene, frozen in time. 

T'Challa had gone back to the states and it was a little difficult to navigate Wakanda's technologically advanced streets without the African king's help.  

"Have they made any progress?" Sam took a seat next to him.

"The brain is a complicated thing. I'm scared they'll never be able to erase what HYDRA did to him." Steve resigned himself. "But I can't give up hope."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I'm just gonna say this. Agents of SHIELD were in Bucharest, Romania this season, before Civil War. That means SHIELD agents could have been a couple blocks or so from where he was! I knew Bucky was awesome, but that makes him even cooler.
> 
> Also, dun dun DUN! Bucky has been in the cryo-freeze chamber in Wakanda the entire time! And in case you're wondering, I thought Jeni calling him James would be another reason for him insisting on Zemo calling him Bucky. XD  
> And Jeni had no idea they were going to give out orders to shoot to kill. She was conflicted about it, but she knew he didn't do it. She had no idea about Helmut Zemo and still doesn't. She only figured out he was in Bucharest because of her abilities.


	5. The Night is Darkest Before the Dawn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Civil War spoilers galore! But if you're reading this chapter, you've probably already seen the movie.  
> If not, GO WATCH IT! It's awesome. And you've already been spoiled since you've read past the last two chapters.  
> Also, warning. You may cry.

_“Welcome to the Modern Marvels pavilion, the world of tomorrow.”_ A recording announced over a speaker system. _“A greater world, a better world.”_

“What?” Jeni felt lost in a sea of people, jazzy music overhead. She wasn’t in her pajamas. She was in an old dress. Like the kind in grandpa’s old photo albums.

“There you are, doll.” She heard before a hand encased hers. A human left hand. It was James, in an old military uniform.“Come on, I want you to meet Steve.”

“Pleasure to meet you, um.”  She was greeted by a blond man, who had about as much muscle strength and height as her. That’s when she recognized him. It was Captain America, before the super soldier serum.

_Am I in the past?_ Jeni thought to herself. 

“Sorry, my girl gets a little distracted sometimes.” James smiled. It made her heart soar. He was his old self, the person she’d only seen glimpses of in real life. “Jeni, Steve. Steve, Jeni. Now that that’s over with, come on!” He grabbed her by the hand, dragging her through the crowd to another building.

_“_ James!”

“Come on, darlin’, you said you wanted to go dancing before I left. Tonight’s my last night.” He laughed, a sound Jeni had never really heard. “And look, they’re playing our song.” He took her onto the dance floor, guiding her through inaudible music. They were together and they could be together, no Sokovia Accords or HYDRA programming to keep them from each other. The Battle of Sokovia wouldn’t be for another fifty years and he was safe with her, not in the clutches of those snakes. She felt happy, her head up against his chest as they slow danced. But then, a feeling of dread started to creep over her. She could feel him pulling away from her. 

“No! No! JAMES!” But no matter how hard she screamed, he was still getting farther and farther away, walking into the darkness. Jeni ran as fast as her legs allowed, her skirt flowing in the cold air. _Cold air? But it was warm only a few seconds ago._

“Where’s your pride now, filthy american?” A german accent directed her attention. There he was, her James, beaten, bloody and broken on a cold stone floor, cages and factory tables surrounding him.  She saw his soft brown hair, which she had sometimes cheekily braided as he slept, caked in machine oil, blood and dirt. His eyes, those gorgeous dark blue orbs, were fiery and defiant.  Ruby red blood streamed from his nose, scratches and bruises making him weaker as the guards used their heavy combat boots to crush him into the floor. The entire scene made Jeni want to scream in anguish, unleash the pain that James was too stubborn to admit to.

“Hey, let him go!” _That voice_. _Grandpa?_ Jeni turned to see him, her grandfather, Timothy “Dum Dum” Dugan, bowler hat, mustache and all, shouting in fury at the guards as they beat her poor James to Death’s doorstep.

“He’s just a kid!” A man with that London twist to his voice screamed. It was James Farnsworth, the paratrooper who her grandfather would lovingly call Union Jack.

This was a memory, but not just anyone’s. It was her _grandfather’s_ memory, recounted to her a million times as a small child. She remembered this story, which he always seemed happy to admit, even though it caused him great pain. He always started with this event, this brutal attack on her James, even though at the time, she had only seen him as her savior at the park. This event, James’s beating, was the first chink in the chain of events that brought the Howling Commandos together to fight with Captain America. 

But then, the scenery changed. Gone were the cages and factory tables. She was now in a brick hallway, her feet now bloody against a concrete floor. She heard a man shuffling papers, running out and stopping, then continuing down the hall.

“This is where.” She raced towards a small lit room. She’d seen this scene sketched so many times in James’s journals. And it was as true to those sketches as she breathed. “James!”

“Who?” She held his head in her hands. He looked so weak.

“It’s me, James. It’s Jeni, your best girl. Don’t worry, Steve’s on his way. He’ll get you out of here.”

“But, what about you?”

“I’ll be fine.”

“Bucky.” Steve’s voice made her want to flee. ”Jeni, how, why are you here?”

“I…I don’t know.” She could feel herself being pulled away. She could predict the next scene. “No! No! Dear god, please don’t take me there! I don’t want to see him.” 

But sure enough, there she was, on that blasted freight car. Hiding from that same soldier. Then a _bang_ resounded through the car and she found herself looking at his face again, at James’s sweet face. He had pulled her out of her hiding place, a look of relief on his face. 

“Thank God, Jeni. I got you back.” He held her so tightly, his scent calming her. Then, he held her out in front of him. “But I can’t protect you like this.”

“Bucky, I’ll take her.” Steve suddenly appeared, taking her from James’s arms and behind his vibranium shield. 

She wanted to scream, to shout, to tell James not to let her go, that all she needed to be safe was to be with him. She knew what was going to happen next and it chilled her to the bone. Especially when a shot ripped between her and Steve, both of them falling to the ground. She could see James picking up the shield, getting a few shots in. She wanted to scream even more, tell him he shouldn’t try to jump to the side of the freight car. But it was too late. In only a few seconds, he had fallen off the side of the car, plunging her world back into darkness.

“No.”

That’s when the voices started. Echoing through her head, like some twisted broken record. Layering over one another. Some of the words in Russian.

“People who shoot at you usually end up shooting at me too.”

_“Longing”_

“Ah, Sergeant Barnes. You’re awake.”

_“Rusted”_

“In the intelligence community, most don’t believe he exists.”

_“Seventeen”_

“Mission Report!”

_“Daybreak”_

“Till the end of the line.”

_“Furnace”_

“Those who do, call him the Winter Soldier.”

_“Nine”_

“He’s my friend.”

_“Benign”_

“Daddy!”

_“Homecoming”_

“Help!”

_“One”_

“Some people you can’t save.”

_“Freight Car”_

“Jeni, I promise, I’ll always protect you.”

_“Soldier?”_

“Soldier! Mission Report!”

_“Ready to comply.”_

It all melded away as she felt her lips pressed against his. Jeni knew this part by heart. A field full of strange flowers under an alien starry sky. And as their lips parted, she felt his hand holding her head as the other pressed a pistol to her abdomen.

_“I’m sorry, your majesty.”_

**_Bang!_ **

“I’m sorry too, Bucky.”

With that her eyes shot open and Jeni melted into her tears.

* * *

Perhaps feeling her pain, another memory came to Bucky’s mind as he stood frozen in the Wakandan medical facility.

They hadn’t even been together at the time. Then he had just been some weird guy who roomed with her. But that night, as he’d tried to meditate in order to relax enough without having nightmares, he’d heard her scream. Instinct kicked into action, instinct perhaps still left over from his days as a US sergeant or from being the Winter Soldier. He sprinted across the hall to the source of the sound. 

_"Miss Jacobi, everything okay?"_ Another scared shriek had told Bucky otherwise. He threw open the door to see a sweating and trembling Jeni, her eyes wide in fear. Her purple hair sticking to her face as she stared at him with those eyes. Those wide, panic-filled blue eyes.

_“James! You have to run. He'll get you."_ He could hear the concern and panic in her voice. _"That creature."_

He had reached for the knife he kept in his boot, holding it defensively. But as he had surveyed the room with his enhanced sight, no threat had emerged. That was when he had heard it. Jeni's heartbeat had been erratic and she was starting to hyperventilate as her fingers were clutched to her shaking head. Tears had flowed down her cheeks.

_"H-He got D-Dad a-and T-Tony right in front-t of me."_   She stuttered through tears. It was then he had realized she had awoken from a nightmare, just like he was prone to. And this nightmare had caused a panic attack.  _"A skeleton man."_

_"It's okay."_ Bucky had held her and had let Jeni bury her face in his chest. _"I'm not gonna let any creatures hurt you or your Dad or your godfather. Especially not some boney poser.”_

_“But what about you?”_ She had gulped through her tears. _“James, what if he went after you?”_ He had tried to placate her fears by rubbing her back. It had worked with Steve when they were in school and it had a similar effect on Jeni. Grounding her. Bringing her fully into reality.

_“Don’t worry, that nasty skeleton man won’t get me. I have you to protect me.”_ That was the moment he had realized his feelings for her and that she returned them. That measly moment when she relaxed in his arms because she felt safe, giggling at the idea she could protect a man with a metal arm and expert fighting skills from a nightmare monster. Something that Bucky also smiled at. But he felt it in his heart. She was special. She is special. Nothing could ever convince him otherwise. Maybe that’s why they had let themselves feel the moment and kiss for the first time. It was not awkward or embarrassing. Just a natural moment that seemed to have taken too long to happen.

_“James, can you stay with me?”_ She had embarrassedly scratched her head as she tried to look away, yet also keep their gazes locked. _“Just for tonight, I mean?”_

_“Sure, doll. Anything for my best girl.”_

_“What’s that mean?”_

_“That means you are my girl and I’m your guy and no imaginary monster is going to change that.”_

_“James, when did you become such a cheeseball?”_

_“I don’t know. Maybe I am because of you.”_

_“James!”_

* * *

The morning afterwards was normal for Jeni. She had run around the compound in order to get her mind off the dream. 

"Good morning, Miss Jeni." The Irish A.I. cheerily called as she entered the door. "Will you require a shower?"

Jeni smiled up at the A.I. "Don't worry, I'm heading home for a shower. Just wanted to check and see if I left my phone at the bar."

"Good Morning, Miss Jeni." Vision stared up from his chessboard. "Care for a game?"

"I'm not much of a chess player." She saw his face fall. "But I will play a board game with you."

"I don't believe Tony has any other board games." Friday announced.

"Well, it's a good thing I do. You can pick out one to play at my house." Jeni suggested to her synthezoid friend.

The ride over was a little better since she wasn't alone in the car. In fact, it wasn't until she was in the shower, her mind free to wander as Vision looked through her family's stock of board games downstairs. Of course she would think of that day. The last day she saw James.

_"James, turn on the tv._ " She had raced into their room in the Edinburgh hostel, frantic and scared. She had just returned from a shop down the street.

_"Why, doll?"_

_"The Avengers were in Sokovia."_ She had only been scared for their safety. For him.

_"The city of Novi Grad has utterly been destroyed.“_ The reporter had announced in a soft Scottish brogue. _“Fortunately, due to the combined efforts of former SHIELD employees and the Avengers, there were only minor casualties. Unfortunately, with almost five hundred billion dollars in damages, the residents of Nov-.”_

She remembered how James had immediately shut the set off as hot tears had started to come down her cheeks. _“All those families. All that history. It’s all lost, James.”_

He had gathered her in his arms, those strong arms. _“These things happen, but like you always tell me, people rebuild.”_ He had looked at her with those sweet eyes while he rubbed her shoulders with his warm human hand. _“What matters is that I’ll never let anything hurt you.”_

_“I know. You’re like my knight in shining armor.”_

_“Yeah, right.”_ He had shrugged it off, but looking back, Jeni had noticed he didn’t think of himself in that way. 

She remembered being half awake in the early morning, his lips pressed lovingly on her forehead so tenderly, the light treads of his shoes fading away as she drifted back to sleep. She had probably thought he was going on some early morning run through town.

It was only a few hours later when she realized he had left her there, a ticket back home in a letter which only had five words scrawled in his elegant handwriting.

_“I’m sorry doll. Sincerely, James.”_

“Miss Jeni, are you okay?” Vision shifted through the bathroom door. Jeni hurried to cover herself with a towel.

“Jesus, Vision.” She sighed. “Go back downstairs so I can get dressed.”

He hurriedly complied, falling through the floor. 

Switching her towel for her favorite robe, Jeni set about the daily task of dressing herself. When her eyes landed on a piece of blue fabric, she knew what she wanted. 

Minutes later, she skipped down the steps, a pair of brown shorts setting off her blue tank top, which had 'My boyfriend is a WW2 super soldier' printed across her chest. 

"That is an _interesting_ outfit." Vision observed as he took a box down from her shelf.

"Think I need a jacket?" Jeni twirled on her heels.

"That might be optimal." He moved aside so she could grab a jean jacket from the closet.

"Find a good game?" In response, he held up the game Candyland. "Maybe not that one."

"What do you suggest, Miss Jeni?"

"Get me the one that looks like a wooden book." 

As Vision got the game from the shelf, another item fell from its place, landing at her feet. "I apologize, Miss Jeni."

"It's okay. It was an accident." She bent down, her hand wavering above it. It was one of her boyfriend's old notebooks. "I'll put this back later." Jeni scrambled to shove it in her purse as they walked out her door. It was only when they returned that she noticed something was off. "What the?"

"Surprise!" 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hehehe. I was up till 3:30 last night getting this perfect, especially for the wonderful people who leave comments.  
> Thank you Subha and Lara_Barnes. You have no idea how much saying "This character has real depth and the required relationship with all the Avengers" and "Can't wait to see what's next" made me happy all the way to my toes. It makes all my work on this worth it.
> 
> So if you have some awesome comments, questions or critiques about this, please share. I want to make Jeni Jacobi a better character for this imaginary MCU. Basically point out my plot holes so I can address them.  
> But don't be a troll. It's a lot more satisfying to write a critique then something mean. And yes, there is a difference. A critique is looking at something rhetorically. It's a great writing exercise. 
> 
> Also if you can't think of anything, write what actress you think would play Jeni Jacobi if she were in the MCU. I'll reveal who I think she'd be in the next chapter, which I think will take me a week to write and a week to edit. I wanna get it super perfect.


	6. Surprise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony throws a surprise party for Jeni. A couple of familiar faces attend. See how many you can spot.

"What the?" Jeni looked up at Vision, who was oddly smiling. "A surprise party?"

"It's hard to do when a telepath is the guest of honor." A familiar face came up to hug Jeni.

"Kamala!" Jeni couldn't help returning the embrace.

"Well, I couldn't just let you have a party full of superheroes without me, could I?"

"That's true." She giggled before her attention was drawn by a camera flash. "Wha-"

"Sorry, I thought I turned off the flash." A boy with brown hair and a scruffy jacket fiddled with his camera. 

"Um, sorry, do I?"

"I told you about Pete." Her godfather winked at her, putting his arm around the kid's shoulders. "My _protege_." That's when Jeni realized. This kid was Spider-Man.

"You do realize I'm turning _twenty_ _five_ in _two days_ , Tony." She laughed it off. "I hope you didn't just invite high schoolers."

"Coulson'd kill him if he did." Two old friends came up to reassure her. 

"Jemma! Leo! It feels like I haven't seen you two in ages."

Both gave her hugs. Leo handed her a wrapped package. "Sorry we missed your dad's funeral."

"You two were on a mission. I think he'd understand." Jeni grinned, but then she noticed something off. "You two are together together." 

"Yeah, apparently it's been a long time coming." 

"Finally! You two were the definition of oblivious flirts." Jeni hugged her two friends. "And that's coming from me."

"Jeni! There's karaoke."

* * *

As the festivities continued at the Avengers Headquarters, Steve remembered the previous year. He had found her in the workout room, trying to punch one of his heavy bags with her bare hands.

 _"Jeni!"_ Steve had carefully pulled her away, surveying the inflicted damage. _"Hitting a heavy bag with bare hands is insane."_ That's when he'd noticed her sobbing _. "Come on, let's get you to medical. You've probably broken a couple bones."_

 _"No, I need the pain."_ She had screamed at him like a child. _"Dad always said distracting pain is the best way to get your mind off major pain."_

 _"Did you get hurt?"_ He had surveyed her, but her only wounds had been her bloodied hands.

 _"I got a call from Agent Hill this morning. My dad's neighbor found his body on his porch."_ She had struggled to talk through the tears. _"Fury went through the scene. Told Hill some of my grandpa's old files are missing."_

 _"I know it won't be of much help, but when my mom died, you want to know what my best friend told me?"_ She had looked up at him in wonder. He knew how much she loved his war stories. _"I'm with you till the end of the line."_

 _"That sounds like him."_ She had giggled. That and the look she had had in her eyes was all he needed.

_"Jeni, your boyfriend James. His full name wouldn't happen to be James Buchanan Barnes."_

_"No, ah he um."_ That's when her shoulders had fallen and she had sighed _. "Yes, my boyfriend is the winter soldier. I know what you're thinking but I haven't seen him in over a month. I get letters, but they're untraceable."_

_"It's okay. I wouldn't put you in that situation."_

_"Now that that bomb's finally been dropped."_ It had been obvious a large burden had been lifted from her shoulders _._ Especially since she was finally walking with Steve to medical. _"Maybe as a birthday gift, you could settle an argument I've been having with my friend?"_

_"That seems fair."_

_"Kamala and I were talking about fanfiction, anyway the conversation ended up at who would take up the shield if you stopped being Captain America. I mean, it is a symbol of hope."_

_"You know, I've never actually given it a thought."_

_"Kamala suggested Sam but he's an aerial fighter. I would think James, but your shield, you use it as an offensive and a defensive weapon and after knowing him very personally."_

_"Now that you've pointed that out, I probably should think about training a protégé."_ He had mockingly done a thinking pose, staring her right in the face. _"I'd need to find someone without too much training."_

_"I accept. Thank you Steve! At least not all of today will be horrible."_

_"But before I teach you anything, we need to get those hands healed."_

_"Yes Sir."_

* * *

On the other side of the world, the room was silent. Jeni couldn't believe what was in front of her, in pretty wrapped paper.

"That's a pretty nice replica of Captain America's shield." Kamala breathed. "Bit beat up though."

"That's 'cause it's not a replica." Jeni traced the five claw marks in the metal. "It's the real thing."

"I overheard the conversation you and Capsicle had last year." Tony explained. "I think he made the right choice."

"With that, I think it's time to break up this party." Rhodey announced from his chair. 

"He's right, Pete. You got that job interview at the newspaper tomorrow morning." The woman Jeni now knew as Peter's Aunt May pulled him out.

"Yeah, I should probably find a good place to put my gift." Jeni followed, stopping only to kiss Tony on the cheek. "That's for the awesome party."

"See you tomorrow."

* * *

Tired and sore from the day's festivities, Jeni had almost forgotten the shield in her little car's passenger seat. But she held it tighter when she noticed the door's lock was shot off. "What the?"

"Hello, little princess." The familiar voice of the skeleton man was the last thing she heard before his hand clamped down on her mouth and her world went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to put Kamala Khan aka Ms. Marvel in this. She's such a nerd and I could totally see her bribing Jeni for pics of the avengers. And it was kinda a given to put Peter Parker and Aunt May there too. Tony probably did it to flirt with May.  
> I really feel bad for the bloody hand scene, but I feel like it really helped explore Jeni and Steve's relationship besides the fact they both intimately know Bucky. And since Steve is Jeni's idol and Bucky's best friend, I don't see Jeni hiding the fact she's dating Bucky from Steve. Or Sharon. Natasha and T'Challa probably figured it out on their own.  
> Also, pretty sure Bucky would have gone ballistic if he'd seen her doing that. Although, punching his metal arm probably would have done the same amount of damage.
> 
> Mull this over in your brain. If Crossbones is dead, who is the skeleton man? Hmm? HMM????


	7. The Shadows that Hide Secrets

”So, they won't let me go to save my own goddaughter?" Tony eyed Ross. "She's innocent."  
"Not according to our sources." The Secretary of State placed a file on the desk. Photos of Bucky and Jeni were on the top of the pile, which Ross furiously pointed to. "Stockholm. Barcelona. Edinburgh. Seems like your goddaughter was helping Barnes stay in hiding before he ended up in Romania. And there are rumors that she is enhanced just like the Maximoff twins.”  
“She is autistic and a bartender. She is as apart of my family as Pepper is.” Tony stared the man straight in the eyes. “And you’re telling me that the Sokovia Accords can’t allow me to rescue her because she decided to take a european trip with a man you believe is a former HYDRA assassin.”  
“That’s not all I’ve heard. Fury went with a crack team to save her from a terrorist cell a few years back. Now why would he do that?”  
“Your appetite for playground gossip doesn't make any difference to me. A known terrorist kidnapped her at her home. Which I remind you was once a SHIELD safe-house."  
"It doesn't matter. It's out of your control." Ross said before charging out of the office.  
As soon as he was out of the compound, Tony drew out a secret drawer. Inside was a certain cell phone.  
"You're calling them, aren't you?" Vision eyed him.  
"Whether I like it or not, I can’t do anything. So I’m going to have to call a little help.”  
"Hey Tony."  
"Steve, Jeni's been kidnapped. The UN found out she’d been involved with your buddy, so they won't let the Avengers do anything."  
“So you want us to try our hands?” Cap looked at his friend, still frozen. According to the Wakandan tech, his mind had been unusually active lately. T’Challa had even commissioned a new vibranium arm for him, sitting in a box in the corner for when they could finally wake him up.  
"Not just that." Tony sighed. "I gave her your shield for her birthday. It wasn't found at the scene, so I'm guessing whoever took her took the shield. And I know you trained her how to use it."  
"She is a real capable girl, your goddaughter."  
“I know. Bring her home, Steve. I can’t lose anymore of my family because of that murderer.” With the click of Tony hanging up, Steve felt a bit of pain hit his heart.  
_“Miss?”_  
 _“Ow.”_  
 _“Sorry for scaring you.”_  
 _“Y-You’re Steve America! I mean Captain Rogers. I mean, sorry, I’ve just been a big fan of yours since I was a kid.”_  
 _"It's okay. You must be Jenifer."_  
 _"Yeah, but most people call me Jeni."_  
 _"You can call me Steve."_  
 _"Wow, James wasn't kidding about you."_  
 _"Who?"_  
 _"Oh, he's just my boyfriend."_  
"Captain?" T'Challa's voice snatched him from the strange memory. "What's wrong?"  
"Someone took Jeni." As he said those words, the Wakandan King saw the lights on Bucky's capsule blink red. "Your majesty."  
"I was planning on bringing her here, but she had collapsed before I could ask her." He observed the activity. "We need to wake Barnes."  
"But you haven't-"  
"I know."  
"If whoever took her has that disgusting book, they could-"  
"He won't kill her. No amount of brainwashing in him will change the fact of what she can do."  
"You sure? What if she can't?"  
"No more questions, we're waking him up." T'Challa signaled to his subjects.  
With a few presses of the keyboard, Bucky was out of his stasis. And his neutral face turned quickly into one of pain. "W-Where am I?"  
"You are in Wakanda, Sergeant Barnes." T'Challa informed him.  
"What day is it?" The frazzled man asked.  
"July 18th."  
A smile came over his face. "Can I send a letter? My girl, her birthday is tomorrow."  
"Bucky." Steve looked his best friend in the face. "About Jeni."  
His face fell, then he sighed. "I should've known she'd get into trouble without me. She's like a female you in that way, Steve."

* * *

  
“Ah, you’re awake.” Jeni grimaced in pain as she gazed upon an older gentleman. "The famous Miss Jenifer Jacobi, I've read so much about you."  
“Those files. From HYDRA.”  
“Correct, little one. They did have another name for you in their files." The man spoke softly, grabbing Jeni by the cheeks. "Ventolin Xtal. They believed if they were able to control you, they could have complete control over their operatives. No need for any more memory wipes, no more training operatives. Just freeze you and Hydra could live another thousand lives, the way paved by a hundred bloody assassinations and one telepathic little girl.”  
"I already know that. They tried to make me into their weapon seven years ago. What makes you think you can do better?"  
“I have this.” He held up a small blue bottle so she could see.  
“No, not that.” Jeni could feel herself tearing up. Half because of the pain, but the other half because of the feeling that an even greater pain was yet to come.  
“Yes.” He smiled, prepping her arm for a needle. "Now let's get started."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay. Bucky's out of the ice! But Jeni's in trouble, oh no! Seriously, the universe should go easy on these two. Wait, I technically control this universe. Bwahaha.


	8. An Old Movie Palace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cap's secret avengers wake up Bucky in order to save Jeni. In the clutches of a doctor and his skeleton bodyguard, it seems Jeni has more secrets of her own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a reference in here if you look. If you find it, put it in the comments.

"Hold on Buck. You just woke up." Cap tried to keep his friend still.

"Steve, I think Jeni is trying to contact me telepathically."

"You sure it's not your arm getting reattached." Sam shirked. "Or you know, your brain readjusting to being outside your freezer."

"Funny, Wilson, very funny." Bucky winced. "I'm sure, I think she's trying to show me where she is."

"Write down what you see." Steve gave him one of his notebooks and a pencil.

"Can't really. The flashes are in front of my vision. Like I'm seeing what she sees."

"Describe it to me and I'll write it down."

"Actually, it looks a lot like that bunker we were at before." Bucky paused. "She's strapped into a chair, facing _that_ _machine_. Wait, I think it's a different bunker. No."

"What?"

"About seven years ago, they'd had me locked up in an old underground bunker on an island off the coast of Florida. There was a girl. I think it was Jeni."

"It was." Clint found a bit of interest in Bucky's extra pain. When he saw Steve and Sam's looks of confusion, he elaborated. "Me and Nat were on the team that rescued her."

"How long was she captured?"

"They'd had her for maybe five or so months. She was mostly okay, but her blood had turned blue right in front of me and Fury."

"Must've been a side effect of when they injected her with some kind of steroid." Bucky tried to talk through the pain. "I remember it amped up her powers to eleven."

"What did she do?" Clint seemed intrigued.

"She controlled someone." Wanda stepped into the room. "I saw it in her mind the first time we met." 

"This is worse than we thought." Steve sighed. "If they learn about her powers at the UN, they aren't going to let Tony bring her home."

"They'll put her in the Raft like they did to us. Or worse." Wanda came in, teeth clenched. "They'll use her as a weapon."

* * *

Even Friday could feel the sadness in the compound as her creator mulled over the projected images. “Mr. Stark, Mr. Rhodes is here to see you.”

“I don’t want to see him.”

“Well you’re gonna anyway.” Rhodey’s voice snapped Tony’s concentration as he wheeled into the office. “Is that Jeni?”

“Yeah, old home movies. After my mom and dad died, Jeni and Anabelle were really my only family.” He chuckled as the woman in the video tried to comfort the crying baby Jeni, who had just bumped into a table. “Sometimes I wish I had been Jeni’s dad instead of Nathan. Then maybe I wouldn’t have to let other people save her.”

“But would she really be Jeni if she was your kid?”

“I guess she wouldn’t be.” Tony sighed as the next video played.

“Aren’t they silly?” Anabelle’s voice came from behind the camera as Jeni sat in her playpen, looking at a young Tony and Nathan as they put together a learning toy for her.

“Belle, how’d you find the only thing I can’t seem to put together?” The young Tony seemed different to Rhodey’s eyes. He seemed happy.

“Read the instruction, you crazy head.”

“Sweetie, I’m pretty sure my Shield training is no use when it comes to these.” Nathan threw the direction booklet in the air. “Hey Tony, I think Jeni’s enjoying our plight.”

Sure enough there was little Jeni, smiling and giggling as she clapped her tiny hands.

“Even back then, she knew how to make people happy.” Rhodey joined him. “Could I watch some with you?”

“Course. I’m just about to watch another one of Anabelle’s old tapes.”

“Sounds perfect.”

* * *

"Poor little princess." Her nightmare man laughed as she sat in the mechanical chair, weakened from the drug. "Afraid your knight with the shiny arm won't save you?"

"He'll tear your throat out if you even try to touch me, pig."

"So that's why you're exhausted." He smirked, playing with the knife in his hand. James's knife. "You are trying to reach your precious Bucky Barnes. To be honest I was surprised when I saw you two at the Sagrada Familia. The winter soldier and his love. Armin Zola must be rolling in his grave."

"You were the one who followed us."

"Well, I have an interest." He got very close, so close she could feel his breath on her face. "You've grown into such a lovely lady. I'm glad I wasn't able to run you over with that semi twenty years ago."

"You. You don't seem like the kinda guy who would hesitate to kill anyone, much less a little girl."

"You're right. But none the less I pushed down the brakes so hard my ankle was sore for the next week after. I wonder why."

"You do realize I could make you stab yourself with that knife."

"Oh, but your first dose is about to wear off. Doubt you'd be ab-Fuck!" He screamed as the knife plunged into his thigh. "You little."

"Leighton, you aren't getting thinking about hurting our honored guest, are you?" The old doctor, as she'd come to call him, came in with a metal tray. Her next dose of that poison.

"Nah, the little princess was just showing me a trick of hers." Her torturer smiled. 

"I'll show you a real good trick." She spit at him.

"Leighton, I'd calm your temper if I were you." The old doctor warned as he injected her with another dose of the blue liquid. 

* * *

When the plane finally touched down, Bucky felt a chill go through him. Like the pain before, but worse. "They just gave her another dose."

"Then we'd better hurry." Steve ushered. "Wanda, would you like to do the honors."

"With pleasure." She blasted open the door. But what lay on the other side astounded them all. 

"Well, this is new."

"This is amazing."

None of them could believe what they were seeing. They weren't in some Cold War bunker. They were in an ornate building, like from some fairytale. But this one was strange, decayed and dusty. The intricate ceiling loomed over them, crumbling frescos accented by fraying ruby red curtains. 

Sam whistled. "This is not what I expected when you said this was a Hydra secret base." 

"It probably didn't look like this before." Steve assured him. "It kind of looks like the entrance to one of those dance halls from the old days."

Bucky nodded, his eyes peeled for anything. "You know how I said that drug was like steroids for her powers."

"She must have created this to protect herself from her captors." The amazement in Clint's voice was reflected by everyone. "Seems like a good defense."

"It feels like her." Wanda agreed, tracing the intricate woodwork. "Like she's sending a message to us."

"I think she's showing us her mind palace." Bucky turned to see stares of confusion. "It's a memory technique she tried to teach me. But I thought hers would be more..."

"What? Modern?" They looked in the direction of the familiar voice. There stood a woman, her dark waves twisted into a ponytail. She would have looked human had it not been for the blue tint. “Miss Jacobi is what you’d call an old soul. I think its to match her boyfriend’s.” 

“It’s Tony’s A.I. Friday.” Sam breathed. “Like an actual human Friday.”

"I think she is what you'd a hologram.” T'Challa spoke, surveying the supposed ghost. "A message from Tony.”

“Yes, I’m being projected by Jeni’s cellphone. Mr. Stark tinkered with it before the party and added a projector.” The woman pointed to a small bag. 

“This is Jeni’s, I recognize the keychain attached to it.” Bucky showed his friends the item in question. It was the shield with the painted red star from his memories. “We’re definitely in the right place.”

“You think you can use some Stark tech to help us find her?” Steve asked the AI.

“Unfortunately, Jeni’s phone doesn’t have much battery right now. I’m only able to use it to contact you for just a short while longer.”

“Tell Iron Man, I promise I'll get her out of here. I want her back home just as much as he does.” Bucky instructed the ai, then added. “But, tell him I’m James Beaton, not Bucky Barnes.”

“Will do sir.” She smiled, then flickered off.

“Whose James Beaton?” Clint posed.

“Jeni’s dad set me up a fake identity by the name James Buchanan Beaton. Even explained the resemblance with papers saying I’m my own grandnephew.”

“That was Agent Jacobi’s specialty.” Clint mulled over. 

"Yep, this would make the weirdest video game ever." Scott decided. When everyone turned to stare at him, he caught himself. "Did I say that out loud?"

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seems the avengers taught Jeni a few tricks and she's got a few more up her sleeve. And a familiar face might appear in the next chapter.  
> Also, who was it that Jeni controlled? Ooo, the mystery.


	9. The Skeleton Crew

"Little princess, come on. I promise I won't hurt you." Leighton's voice echoed around the room.  
Jeni had been able to pick up James's knife with her feet to free herself when she'd created the illusion. But now she was running out of energy. While the old doctor had been very punctual on the dosages of that liquid, he hadn't really given her any food. Add to that the fact that her childhood nightmare fuel was now after her in the bunker's concrete hallways. And she didn't want to experience what he had in mind for her, even if he was stuck in her illusionary movie palace.  
But Jeni knew she wouldn't be able to cloak herself for too much longer with no food in her system. She just had to find where'd they'd put Cap's shield. At least she was able to find the room where’d they put her clothes. She was happy to get out of the paper gown they’d given her and back into her own clothing. But that's when she'd heard another male voice, this time with a Eastern European accent. Maybe Russian or Sokovian? She could never tell. For all she knew he was from Kazakhstan.  
"Cutthroat, you promised me and my sister a chance to test our abilities against the Winter Soldier. How are we supposed to find him without his precious girlfriend?"  
"All in due time. He is on the base."  
"But not alone." A female voice spoke with the man. "Mel, we should prepare the traps."  
"Yes, I'll tell the rest of the crew to split up that band of misfit toys. If the amazing Captain America is as good as the history books say, we need them apart."  
As she listened, Jeni noticed it. Hidden beneath a trash bag, the shield. It made her smile. Now, she had a weapon.  
"Are you Jeni?"

* * *

Steve could see on his friend's face how worried he was. He knew that pain. It was the same as in the war, when he was away from Peggy.  
But now a different ache had replaced that one in Cap's heart. Not the ache of separation, but the kind that comes from loosing them permanently to the claws of death. Steve didn't want Bucky to feel that pain.  
"Cap, you okay?" Sam tried to comfort his friend.  
"I can't shake this feeling. Like something bad is going to happen." The feeling got worse as the path they came to split in three.  
"I can't tell where Jeni is anymore. She could be through any of this paths."  
"Alright, we'll split up into teams."  
"Bucky and me worked together pretty well in Germany." Sam chimed. When Steve gave them a look, Wanda pitched in her own thoughts.  
"I'll go with them to break up any fights."  
"Clint, why don't you and me search that spot?" Scott pointed to a second story door.  
"That leaves me and you, your majesty." Steve looked to the king of Wakanda.  
"It would be my honor, Captain."  
"Alright, coms on. We meet back here in twenty. Anybody missing, we go together to save them."  
"Right." 

* * *

Jeni couldn't believe who she was seeing. "Y-You're alive? But I've seen everyone's memories. You died saving Clint and an innocent child from a hail of bullets. You could have easily dodged them had it not been for your concern for their safe-" Her rant dropped off as she saw his head shaking.  
"I wish I were that hero. I am merely one of a few LMDs made by Doctor Starro."  
"LMDs? Those are Life Model Decoys." Jeni could remember her grandfather telling her about the two he had encountered of Cap and Bucky during the Cold War. It had been chilling, but the one he could turn had only lived for a few days after he had helped them escape. "I can tell you don't mean me harm, but why?"  
"Pietro. He believed in doing what was right. He fought Shield and Stark because he thought they were bad people. He saw a picture of you in Stark's office. You were smiling, wearing a ratty shirt and planting flowers."  
"He thought I was pretty."  
"Yes, the memory I have of his tells me that he planned on asking Stark who you were and maybe if you were single."  
"At that time, I was actually in Ireland with my boyfriend."  
"Oh, so he might have been rejected."  
"Actually, I might have accepted. James, my boyfriend, actually left me in the hotel we were staying at. And then my dad was killed." She grimaced. "But I realized that I was being toxic. And I needed to become a better person. If not for me, then for the one person who sees me as more than just broken."  
"Broken, huh?"  
"Jeni!" She saw Wanda run towards her. "Get away from that thing! It isn't my brother."


	10. One Foot in The Grave

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you agents of shield for making me realize I could use Life Model Decoys.  
> Plus, yay, Bucky got his girl back!

With Wanda's words, a dark knife appeared up against Jeni's throat, pinning her up against this Pietro's chest. He stared point blank at Bucky, who was trying to get a good shot without potentially hurting Jeni.  
"Recognize this, Winter Soldier? Cutthroat found it in a drawer in that house." A look came over this Pietro that Wanda had only seen once on her brother's face. It was the look he gave her when they were protesting at the riots. The day they were taken to that place.  
Jeni quickly mouthed to Bucky not to shoot before placing her hand on the hostile robot decoy. "Pietro, please give me back my knife."  
"What?" Sam looked in shock at her. "Jeni, let us handle this."  
"By blasting his head off. No, he's just like you were, James." Jeni looked square at her boyfriend as she explained. "And I know you are not that Winter Soldier. Not anymore."  
"This is your boyfriend?" The stilted voice reached Wanda's ears. She could feel tears well up in her eyes as this image of her twin brother held Jeni closer, pointing the knife out. "The one who left you in Ireland?"  
"Yes I did, but I regret that everyday." Bucky confessed, tears starting to well up in Jeni's eyes. "I wish I could go back to the days when we worked at Luke's bar. I love her."  
"Pietro, please, your sister is crying. Drop the weapon and comfort her." Sam knew what Bucky and Jeni were doing. And he was willing to take their lead.  
"Look, I'm putting down my pack." Sam displayed to the robot. "And my guns."  
"Don't hurt my girl, please." Jeni couldn't help but cry at her boyfriend's words. "I don't want to see her hurt, just like Wanda doesn't want to see you hurt." As he said this, the knife clanked on the ground. Jeni ran to Bucky's arms, mirroring the soft scene between a seemingly reunited brother and sister. It didn't matter if he was a LMD. He still had the memories and emotion bonds of her brother.  
"James." Jeni breathed effortlessly as they held each other. "I thought I'd never see you again."

* * *

"Something feels off." More than just T'Challa's words were starting spook them both. "Like an odd presence."  
"I feel it too." Then for a second, a dash of red caught Steve's eye. Red, like from a ruby stetson. "That's impossible."

* * *

"So, how's your kids?" Scott tried to make conversation. It was oddly welcome to Clint.  
"Fine. Cooper just joined Boy Scouts."  
"Cassie actually just joined Girl Scouts."  
"You know, I think Jeni was too." Clint chuckled. "Guess what the first thing she asked for was after we rescued her?"  
"Thin Mints."  
"Nope, Do-si-dos."  
"The peanut butter ones?"  
“Save them.” A ghostly voice echoed through the halls.  
"Please tell me you heard that." Scott turned to look to his comrade, only to see a look of fear. It was a look he'd seen in prisoners' faces when they realized the world outside had passed them by. A look of sheer terror. "You recognize that voice."  
"Kate." Clint murmured under his breath. "It sounds like Kate."

* * *

"So, you and that robot man are dating now?" Pietro felt confused.  
"Well, I don't know. I did propel him through a few layers of concrete."  
"Don't worry, Wanda." Jeni smiled at the other telepath. "He can't stop talking about you. He also told me what Tony did while I was visiting my aunt. I'm sorry I wasn't there to stop him."  
"Please, you might have been confined to the com-“ Wanda was quickly silenced by Bucky, who quickly unholstered his gun.  
“James, what’s wrong?”  
“Doll, can you hear the thoughts of anyone besides us?”  
“Well, yeah, but I can’t hear Pietro’s because he’s not-” She looked in shock at the man now standing in front of them. “No.”  
“A bit confused Doll.” The other Bucky spoke, a blue world war 2 jacket slung over his shoulder. There was no mistaking this one for her boyfriend. Especially when this man looked just like the image of him plastered in the Smithsonian. “I would be too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is why you don't split up people!!! Bad things happen when you split up!!!


	11. Ghosts From The Past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't updated this since JUNE!!!! JUNE!!! Well, the last chapter was kind of hard to work past (that damn cliffhanger), so I worked on the next few chapters as a little blurb. Well, they do say patience makes the reward sweeter, so hopefully this was worth the wait.

"Clint!" Scott ran after the archer, whose senses seemed to be on high alert. "Who is Kate?"

"Kate was a kid I trained. She disappeared a few years ago on a mission."

"You think she might be here?"

"Either that or her ghost." 

"G-Ghost?" Scott shivered. "Maybe you heard an echo. Or some kind of illusion."

"If it is, it might be Jeni trying to send us a message."

"Good point." The two darted along, finally stopping when a ghostly figure of a young woman appeared clearly in a hallway, who then started to make movements with her hands. "What's she doing?"

"Sign Language." Clint returned his bow to his quiver before returning the ghost's message.

"You know sign language?" Scott found himself mesmerized by the ongoing conversation, the flicks of wrists and fingers telling a story all their own. 

"He's here." 

"Who?"

"Manfredi."

"And I'm not alone." The two heroes barely missed an explosive that took out a chunk of a wall.  

* * *

 

The sight of the past Bucky had not really so different effects on each of the group. Unlike Pietro, a longer inspection revealed this double's age. Some of his synthetic skin had started to rip, revealing the gear workings underneath. His clothes were worn, stains of dirt and perhaps blood creating a very zombie-like appearance. 

"You're that LMD." Sam breathed. "I read about you in the files. Jeni's grandfather tried to save you from that base."

"Save? Really? Is that what they told you all?" The LMD chuckled. "Oh no. But Dr. Starro did send me here to get his new test subject."

"You'll have to find me first." Jeni shouted before she started to fade away. 

"Jeni!" Bucky couldn't believe it. He hadn't found her. Not really. But she had seemed so real. It made him want to punch something. Good thing a reflection of his own face was there for the job. 

* * *

 

"Captain?"

"Peggy. I saw that red Stetson in a photo of her." Steve tried to speak as they ran. "From in the forties."

"But she's dead, Captain. It could be a trap." The African king did not know how right he was until they finally caught up to the woman. 

"You should have listened to him, Captain Rogers." Her Jersey accent shocked the both of them. "What, expecting Russian? Well now, you will fall at the hands of Mother Night." 

"I don't usually hit nuns." Cap got ready. "For you, though, I'll make an exception."

"Good for me." But as she spoke, the mirage of the movie palace started to fall away. "Seems my brother caught up to your little friend. Good thing too, battling that little girl was giving me an ulcer."

“I can remedy that.” T’Challa let his claws come out. There was no way the so-called Mother Night was getting out unscratched.

* * *

 

Jeni was standing before a brute of a man, the height difference almost unearthly. It was almost cartoonish. 

"You a friend of Cutthroat's?"

"More of a comrade." She'd misjudged his accent. It was definitely jersey. Why'd she hear Russian?

"Well, apparently your comrade didn't tell you." She smirked. "I almost killed him."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't resist putting Agent Carter's fabulously iconic red stetson in the story. Sorry about the fake out. But believe me, the real reunion is much better. Twelve looks to be another hard chapter, but since I mostly finished thirteen, fourteen and fifteen, you won't have to wait long for those. Hopefully they'll all be out before Christmas and you'll be able to read twelve while digesting Thanksgiving turkey. Keep leaving your comments and kudos, they give me life.


	12. The Skeleton Crew

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a little redo of a very small chapter.

Jeni ran, the debris from the facility floor cutting her foot, now void of the shoe protection of her other one. But the look on that brute's face when she chucked her now lost sneaker at him was worth it.   
"You bitch!" His voice boomed. Crap, he woke up. "I'll show you why they call me Minister Blood."  
Jeni knew she didn't have much of that stuff left in her system. But then her foot hit something metal.  
"Perfect."

* * *

"What's wrong, old chum?" Manfredi's voice boomed through the concrete walls.   
"Who are these guys?" Scott screamed as he narrowly dodged a piece of debris as it flew past him.  
"Manfredi is an old circus buddy. Not sure about the other guy."  
"How about I send you back home in pieces to Dr. Pym, little ant!" The second man's words were followed by another explosive charge.   
"Well, at least that answers the question of why that guy hates us."   
"Don't you mean you?" Clint smiled as he let an arrow stop one of the bombs. "Wanna try that trick from the airport?"  
"Oh no, I am not riding one of your arrows again."  
"Suit yourself."

* * *

"Captain, are you okay?" T'Challa helped Steve up from the ground.   
"I don't know. It's like she's in my head."  
"And I thought you knew what a telepath felt like, Captain Rogers." Mother Night let her hair roll down her sides. "Although, you haven't had the pleasure of me in that pretty head of yours."  
“I don’t do that till at least the third date, sweetheart.”

* * *

Dark liquid streamed down the large man's face as he ran through the hall, screaming bloody murder. The same dark liquid was blasted on Cap's shield, smeared over the scars left by T'Challa's claws.   
"James. Where are you?" Jeni tried to stop herself from crying out in pain. Her arms were sore from throwing the shield. Not to mention the fatigue from holding the theater illusion up for so long. She was done for, she knew it.   
Then Minister Blood stopped screaming.   
"You can come out now, sweetheart." A new voice bounced off the concrete. But this voice had its own chill to it. It was that doctor. She had to get away. 

* * *

“Hank! You bastard!” Scott yelled as various explosions went off around him. “Please tell me you got an arrow in that bag of tricks of yours.”  
“Yep.” Clint shot an arrow at the ceiling, which after a long beep, exploded, sending an avalanche of debris down.   
“How’d you guys.” They turned around to see Bucky, Sam and Wanda standing in the room. It was barely cloaked by Jeni’s illusion. At the other end, Steve and TChalla ran inside, all agape at how the illusion was breaking.   
“What is this place?”  
Then Bucky looked over and found his answer. “I think I may know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don’t worry. Soon there will be more. What is Bucky talking about? Will we learn more about Bucky’s past with Jeni? Will they have actual real sex outside of their fucking dreams??? Don’t worry, it’s all coming soon


	13. Project Winter’s Canary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> See? I told you you wouldn’t have to wait long. It might be because the reveal a certain someone is returning to the screen. It also might be the fact I need to revisit some old material and characters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning ⚠️: This chapter refers to some very violent pasts of some characters, mostly stemming from Jeni and Bucky’s past.

"There is another chair." T'Challa pointed to the chair above the pit, straps on the sides just like the one it faced.  
"Bucky? You look pale."  
"This. This is her blood." Bucky tried to silence the screams in his head. Her screams. "They had ordered me to kill her. At first."  
Steve knew the look on his friend's face. "You missed."  
"All I really did was knick her ear. Left a scar." He tapped his right ear. "Recognized her from it. This is from then."  
"But that's imp-" Steve thought back to when he'd patched up Jeni after she'd battered her hands. The blood had been blue. And there was no way she'd had any of that drug still in her system then. But what she had been was distracted.   
"I wonder if Tony knows."  
"I bet Fury did."   
"I wouldn't put it past him." Steve shrugged, the shock of his realization starting to fly away. Bucky knew why it wouldn't really be infeasible to Steve. They'd seen a man take off his face to reveal a red skull. He'd fought aliens who'd come out of a glowing circle in the sky alongside a Norse god. It would surprise Bucky more if Steve wouldn't believe it.   
But what hurt Bucky more was the painful memories that were flooding back.  
"She called you tin man." Wanda realized, the thought impossible for her not to hear. "Oh God. They did that to her?"  
"Sister." Pietro’s hands grasped Wanda as she started to cry.  
“I promised I’d protect her, Steve.” He squeezed his hands in anger and he could practically hear the vibranium breaking.  
But that's not all he heard. He knew her bare footsteps like his own voice. And they were echoing in the corridor.   
"James!" There she was, his Jeni. Right in front of him, her feet covered in blood. Running into his arms.   
He couldn't help kissing her, touching her, holding her.   
"Quick." Sam got Jeni's attention. "Would you rather fight one giant owl or ten little owls with tasers?"  
"Really, Sa-"  
"Easy, I'd find a way to disable the tasers." She smiled. "Then I'd sick my amazing boyfriend on them. The pesky owls wouldn't have a chance."  
"Good to see you haven't lost your quirky humor." Clint shook his head, bracing himself from running behind her.   
"Sorry, had to make sure you weren't a robot or someone in disguise."   
"Careful or I'll sick James on you." She nuzzled up against Bucky's chest.   
"Come on let's get you home." Bucky laughed.  
Then Wanda screamed. Time seemed to slow as they saw Pietro, liquid seeping from his chest.   
They all turned to see a man was now pointing that gun at Bucky, or more precisely the girl he now had tightly encased in his arms. How she was fighting the urge to run.  
"That's him, isn't it? The skeleton man?" He could feel her nod yes into his chest.   
"Names Cutthroat. And you all just fell into a trap of mine." Bucky had only then realized what he was standing on. He could hear the electricity building.   
"Sam, get Jeni and fly out of here." He tried pushing his girl towards his friend, but she stayed attached to him. "Jeni?"  
"Please, don't let me go. Not without you." She mumbled. He realized why. Her nightmares.   
"I won't." He kissed her, lifting her into the air with his right hand, making sure to keep the metal left away from her. The electricity surged through him but not into her, so when he'd walked off the trap, she was still safe. And so were Sam and Steve, who'd managed to fly out of the way. "Your move Cutthroat."  
“I would gladly, but a friend of mine would like to try her hand.” He moved aside, allowing a woman dress in red through.  
“I thought we…” Steve couldn’t understand the sight of Mother Night.  
"Hello there, little princess." The female voice she'd heard before jolted Jeni. Someone was trying to mess with her mind.  
"James, whatever you do, don't let go of me." He could hear the fear in her voice as the scenery around them started to shift and distort. Then, as it seemed to shatter like glass, she collapsed into his arms. Wordlessly, he gathered her up in his arms, the cool touch of metal soothing to her tired body.   
"You've used up too much energy." Wanda breathed as she tried to get up.   
"The poor thing." Mother Night seemed to purr. Next to her was him.   
"Maybe the doctor should shoot her with another dose of that blue stuff." Minister Blood chuckled.   
“Night, night, little superheroes.” Cutthroat smiled before the group slumped to the ground, forced to sleep.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fuck yeah! It’s real! Yeah, no fakeout this time. Oh yeah, and Pietro is dead again. Stop fucking dying Pietro!  
>  Jeni and Bucky are finally together again. I’m sorry this was such a long time coming, but this fic flew sadly to the wayside due to my focus on other writing and unforeseen issues.


	14. Railcar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Get ready for an emotional roller coaster this chapter. Warning: this is a really hard hitting chapter. If you are triggered by anything in this chapter, breath in through your nose slowly then out through your mouth slowly.

Jeni opened her eyes to find herself on a dark cliffside road. Behind her was the muffled roar of the ocean as the rain pelted the windows. Car lights flickering past. There was no mistaking it. This was a memory of the night she died.   
She was in the backseat of her mother's little jeep, crawling up the road. Her mother's bouncy Irish curls straightened out and tied up in a tasteful bun. Jeni had almost forgotten her mother loved to wear red lipstick. Classic, she would say. Jeni wanted to get out of there. She didn't want to see it again. But there was that strange light. The car started to roll, the feeling of weightlessness, the agonizing crack and shatter of the windshield.   
Then she was outside the car, the wreckage lit every so often by lightning strikes. But it wasn't the only thing the light touched.   
"Hey!" She shouted at the figure, screamed at him. And he moved, as if to acknowledge her. But, she realized, how could he have heard her? This was a dream.   
That's when she saw his face. Blue skin with eyes like a bunny's, completely black, edged by eyelashes that could make a runway model jealous. No mistaking his alien nature.   
Jeni couldn't help but watch as he lifted the thirteen year old her out of the damaged car. She could tell he then looked at her mother, debating whether to lift her out as well. His face looked sad, probably realizing he couldn't save her. Jeni knew. Her mother's neck had snapped as soon as the jeep impacted the tree.   
She heard the alien man say something, before fiddling with something on his wrist. Instantly, his appearance changed to be more human.   
"This can't be my memory." Jeni knew for a fact she'd been unconscious, the four scars on the side of her scalp proof of that. "But it has to be someone's."  
"We watchers only watch, we never intervene." A whisper seemed to edge through as a gust of wind almost blew her over. "That is our role in the universe."  
"But it isn't mine." She whispered. "I can't stand by like that and watch bad things happen to people. Nobody deserves tragedy."  
"Ahh, but isn't that how heroes are forged?" The voice spoke. "Through adversity?"  
Jeni felt the atmosphere of the expo she'd seen in James's memories. But then it changed.

“ _Whatever happens tomorrow you must promise me one thing. That you will stay who you are. Not a perfect soldier, but a good man.”_  
 _"Tried that once. Other guy spat out the bullet."_  
 _“You have to stop carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders.”_  
 _"Whosever holds this hammer, be he worthy, shall wield the power of Thor."_  
 _"I am Iron Man."_  
 _“Is that how I am to while away eternity... Reading? “_  
" _I've got a lot of red in my ledger."_  
 _"You think he'll sign my cards?"_  
 _"It's not about saving the world, it's about saving theirs."_  
 _“Sometimes the world's greatest miracles happen by accident.”_  
 _"My little Starlord."_  
 _“Our very strength invites challenge, challenge incites conflict, and conflict... breeds catastrophe.”_  
 _"Yeah. A kid who can stop a bus with his bare hands."_  
 _“The living are not done with you yet.”_

A tear went down Jeni's face. The emotional impact was getting to be too much. But, then another voice rang out. __  
"Doll, I love you."  
All at once, the scenery changed. The alien field of flowers. It seemed welcoming, an old friend. All that was left was that sound. That god awful sound.

 

* * *

Somewhere in a workshop, Jeni's eyes broke open, her body strapped to a bed, the IV in her arm filled with some kind of drug. But how'd she get here. Only minutes ago, she'd finally, finally been back next to the love of her life. But then...  
"Hello, your highness." The old doctor grinned at her, sending a chill through her spine. "How was your nap?"  
"Where're my friends?!" She screamed. "Where's James?!"  
"Do not worry, the Winter Soldier is quite fine. I got him a nice comfy chair to sit in." The doctor moved away to reveal a very tall and buff man standing behind a chair. And tied to that chair was her James, a little beat up but no worse for wear, staring at her with worry. "If you two cooperate with me, I may let your friends go."  
The screens lit up, images of Leighton’s crew guarding the various members of the team.   
“No you won’t. I’ve been kept in a frozen cage by guys like you.” Her boyfriend spoke, staring at the doctor with a dark look. Jeni had only seen that look once before. When he was the Winter Soldier.   
The idea, added to the strain of that dream, made her chest tighten, making it hard to breath. It was as if the world was crashing in on itself. Onto her.   
"What is wrong with you, little princess? Huh, too much pressure?"  
Jeni tried to speak but all that came out was a garbled mess, cut off by encroaching tears and what sounded like a fish gasping for air.   
"Shit. Let me go!" Bucky pleaded with the doctor. Then shouted out some pretty colorful Russian.   
"So you can escape? Fat chance. We won't be fooled by your girlfriend's little act."  
"You freaks triggered a panic attack!" Bucky tried to break the bonds, obvious that right now her stress was worse to him than those trigger words. "And if she gets hurt, I’ll do a lot worse to you than you think I’m capable of."  
“Try me.”  
“This is a brand new arm. I need a couple test dummies.”  
"Fine." The doctor pressed a button that released his bonds. "But if you try anything, one of your friends are dead."  
Bucky glared at him before running to Jeni. He cradled her like a child, rocking her as he shushed her soothingly. "I'm here now. I've got you, Jeni. Nothing's gonna happen to you. You're okay. You're safe."  
As he continued, she relaxed, a wave of calm coming over her. It was if his voice held some hidden note that made everything feel right with the world. Especially when they heard the hydraulics of the door whirling shut.

* * *

Steve looked over to his friends. He could tell they were hurt, but they'd been in worse spots before. And the guy guarding them didn't seem too smart. He looked over to T'Challa, who was working through his bonds with his claws. They were getting out. And these guys weren't going to get away that easily.

* * *

Jeni could touch him, something she'd only dreamed about for so long. She pressed her body to his so she could hear Bucky's heartbeat. His breath, steady above her. But that wasn't all she felt.   
"J-James!" His hands were on her shorts already. “What are you doing? This is not the place...”  
"I know Doll. But that’s not what I’m after." He hiked up her shorts so that he could get to her hip. She could feel they were soaking wet. Something was wrong.  
"James. Ahh!" She twitched as Bucky's fingers searched for the wound. The dark lights made it hard to find, probably due to the fact the surgery wasn’t really sanitary by most standards. “I think you found it.”  
"I promise I’ll get you out of here." He kissed her neck as he untied the straps. "Just stay awake for me okay?"   
She held onto him tighter, wrapping her arms around his frame to relax herself. "I love you, James."  
Jeni could feel his smile on her shoulder as he returned her embrace. "I love you too."  
"Ahem." They both looked over to see Steve. "Sorry to interrupt, but we should probably get going."  
”Took you long enough." James snickered. She felt him move from over her. But that wasn't the only thing she felt. Something felt warm on her leg.   
Jeni touched the substance to see what it was. "James, I’m still blee..." She showed him the blue liquid on her hand. Then, reality drifted away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jeni’s panic attack is actually based on a real panic attacks I have had, especially one I had a few years ago. My boyfriend at the time (such a trooper) did probably the one thing you should never do when someone is having a panic attack and hugged me. Probably because I associated his embrace with safety or some kind of comfort, he was able to calm me down. I repeat, do not follow his example. It was a unique case. Never hug someone having an anxiety attack or panic attack. Anywho...hopefully the next chapter will be more sunshine and rainbows


	15. Together at Last

Steve couldn't help but sneak peeks over at Bucky as Jeni, her hip bandaged up, was resting on his lap. Honestly, his behavior reminded Steve of a wolf protecting his mate. Half way through, Jeni did wake up and began giggling as Scott told her stories about his little girl. The entire time, Bucky was glaring at Scott, as if to say "I'm protecting her." It reminded Steve of how Bucky used to glare at bullies before he punched out their lights.   
As they touched down in Wakanda, Steve had to apologize to T'Challa's people as they rushed to help Jeni. Bucky was of course insisting to carry her all the way to the medical bay, a feet he seemed all too fond of performing. And there, in the corner of his eye, Steve saw a glimmer. A glimmer of what Bucky used to be.

* * *

 

 

Rhodey opened his eyes to see his friend was no longer at his desk. "Did I fall asleep?" He muttered to himself, simultaneously checking his watch.  
"Yes, you have been asleep for a few hours now." Rhodey turned his head to see Vision, his arms crossed in front of his chest. "Have you been getting enough sleep?"  
"Not much." The man admitted. He had to be there for Tony. If for anything, for the sake of his goddaughter. "Where is Tony?"  
"He went down to his workshop. He hasn't eaten any breakfast."  
"Jeni usually makes him breakfast." Rhodey quipped as he wheeled to the elevator.  
"Makes sense, she does have taste buds."  
"Did you just make a joke?"

* * *

 

Jeni woke up in a bed, her first thought being she must have collapsed again. Then as her eyes adjusted, she saw that she wasn't in the ship bay, but in what looked like the set of some ultra futuristic science fiction medical drama. She would have freaked out had it not been for the hand holding hers, attached to the presence lying next to her on the bed. "James."  
"He has been sleeping like that all night." The strength in the Black Panther's voice reassured her assumed location.   
"This is Wakanda."  
He nodded. "I was going to talk to you about visiting here for your birthday. But-"  
"But I collapsed at the bar." She breathed, brushing hair from in front of James’s face as he slept. It was then she noticed he was missing something. "Where's the red star on his arm?"  
"Jeni. It is a brand new arm. We never got a chance to put anything on it."  
"Doll, you're awake." A smile stretched across her face as her boyfriend stirred. Then a growl seemed to come from low in his throat as he looked over at T'Challa. "Your majesty."  
"I can see you two would prefer to be left alone. I'll make sure no one disturbs you."  
James was obviously blushing as T’Challa left. Jeni got a peak of him glaring at a young girl near the door. Must be his sister.   
“Well, we better make the most of it.” She smiled at him.   
“Doll, you got shot.” He stared at her side, still bandaged. “You were lucky the bullet got lodged in your appendix.”  
“Didn’t need it anyway.”  
“Jenifer Jacobi.”   
“Full name. This must be serious.”  
“You know it can’t go back to how it used to be.” He sighed.  
“I do. But I kinda wish we could reenact a dream of mine in the kitchen. It was kinda sexy.”  
“I didn’t happen to crack the counter did I?”  
“What?”  
“Well, one of the dreams I had on ice was...”  
“I guess my mind must of reached out to yours in my sleep.” She sighed. “I know I promised not to read your mind.”  
“You couldn’t control it.” James laughed. “You know, it was more like that weird dream movie you showed me. The one with the top.”  
“Inception?”  
“Yeah, like I was in an alternate universe. One of the dreams, I think I was the mad hatter.”  
“Well, I’d love to be Alice then, Mr Hatter.” She captured his lips.


End file.
